Minicircle: Eternal Youth?

What if we could slow aging and improve our biological function with a single 30-second injection? That is the promise behind Minicircle, an ambitious gene therapy startup whose ambitions extend well beyond conventional medicine. As founder and CEO Mac Davis put it on the podcast “Un día con Jon Bier”: “We want to extend both the duration and the quality of human life.”

Minicircle has built its reputation on a follistatin-based therapy — a naturally occurring protein capable of increasing muscle mass, accelerating recovery, and reducing inflammation. A single injection, administered into body fat in approximately 30 seconds, can sustain its effects for up to a year. While these treatments have yet to receive approval in the United States, patients may access them in Mexico and Honduras, where the company administers them under full medical supervision.

Follistatin is being studied not only for its potential to enhance physical performance but for its broader implications for aging itself. Animal studies suggest it could extend lifespan by more than 30%. While much of the research remains in its early stages, preliminary evidence points to meaningful increases in lean muscle mass, reductions in body fat, and measurable improvements in overall quality of life.

Davis reports experiencing these effects firsthand: “I noticed a shift in how I felt — more aware, more present. It wasn’t purely physical; it was a sense of clarity, of being more connected to my body and the world around me.”

For Davis, therapies of this kind represent a profound shift in how we approach health: moving from symptom management to proactive enhancement of function. “Gene therapy, at its core, offers the possibility of addressing problems before they become disease — focusing on improving function rather than simply treating dysfunction,” he explains.

Minicircle’s path has been anything but conventional. Davis came to the venture without a traditional business background and found early financing all but impossible. No one, initially, was willing to fund the project. That changed when Sam Altman and Peter Thiel, having encountered his work, chose to invest.

With that backing, Minicircle assembled a small, highly specialized team. Among its lead scientists is a former NFL athlete who subsequently earned a doctorate in Molecular Medicine and Disease Mechanisms.

Minicircle operates at the intersection of science, ethics, and entrepreneurship. With patients already reporting results and additional therapies in development, the company’s mission remains straightforward: to extend human potential in a manner that is ethical, safe, and accessible. “Longevity isn’t about living forever,” says Davis. “It’s about having the freedom to live as you choose — for as long as possible.”

Minicircle’s next therapy centers on Klotho, a hormone that helps prevent calcification in the arteries, kidneys, and brain. “It reduces the inappropriate accumulation of calcium,” Davis explains, “and that is critical for cardiovascular health and longevity.” Currently under testing abroad, the company plans to file for FDA approval for clinical use in the United States before the end of this year.